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The Papers of Charles O. Gregory

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-79-9

Scope and Contents

This small collection of papers was given to the Law Library by Professor Gregory in the late 1960's. Included are twenty years' correspondence with Felix Frankfurter (1941 - 1961), a letter from Franklin D. Roosevelt (1937), some writings of Robert and Edward Kennedy, both students of Gregory (1950 - 1966), and a notebook containing correspondence regarding the Festschriften for Gregory in the May 1977 issue of the Virginia Law

Dates

  • Creation: 1937-1966

Creator

Biographical / Historical

A native of Derby, Connecticut, Charles Oscar Gregory received a B.A. and LL.B. from Yale University in 1924 and 1926, respectively. After practicing law in New York for two years, he accepted an Assistant Professorship at the University of Wisconsin Law School, and from 1930 until 1936 served as Associate Professor of Law at the University of Chicago. He came to Virginia in 1949 from the University of Chicago, and became the John B. Minor Professor of Law in 1958. Gregory was considered a pioneer in the field of labor law, and his treatise, Labor and the Law, was described by Emerson Spies as “the bible for both college and law students throughout the country.” First published in 1946, the third edition came out in 1974. Gregory was extremely well liked by his students. At UVA, his courses included Labor Law, Labor Arbitration and Collective Bargaining, Torts, and Labor Relations. When he retired in 1967, the third year law class established a professorship in his name, departing from the usual tradition of establishing a chair in the name of a deceased faculty member. As a law student asked on learning of Gregory’s retirement, “Why can’t the law school get more Charlie Gregorys?” The Law Weekly’s response was “There just aren’t any more.” Gregory was described in the 1967 Barrister as follows: “A probing and incisive mind, a genially compelling personality, an ardent bird watcher.” After retiring from UVA, he taught a course in Advanced Torts at the University of Connecticut School of Law for eight years. A former student and later a colleague, H.C. Macgill, described Gregory’s approach to teaching: “His optimism, and the egalitarianism that was inseparable from it, made Charlie an irresistible classroom teacher.” Gregory died in 1987.

Extent

.3 Cubic Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Small collection (1937-1966) of legal correspondence between Prof. Gregory and Justice Frankfurter. Also memorabilia related to Robert and Edward Kennedy while students at the university.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection of papers was donated to the Law Library by Professor Gregory between 1967 and 1969.

Title
The Papers of Charles O. Gregory1937-1966; MSS 79-9
Subtitle
The Papers of Charles O. Gregory, 1937-1966MSS 79-9
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Description is inEnglish

Repository Details

Part of the Arthur J. Morris Law Library Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Arthur J. Morris Law Library
580 Massie Road
University of Virginia
Charlottesville Virginia 22903 United States